"Marble" is the answer from the man who created it -- Jeremy Cowan, founder and CEO of Shmaltz Brewing Co. of Clifton Park, just north of Albany. "We believe in rye diversity."

Cowan and his brewery are serious about beer, but have always taken a light-hearted approach to its marketing. Shmaltz is known for introducing a high level of "shtick" to its beers. It's primary line is called He'Brew (the Chosen Beer), and beers include Hop Manna IPA, Slingshot Lager, a complex beer called Funky Jewbelation and Messiah Nut Brown Ale (once billed as "the beer you've been waiting for.")

Pastrami Pilsner may have some shtick, but the beer itself is no gimmick.

"No pastrami was harmed in the making of this beer," the folks at Shmaltz say.

Pastrami Pilsner was initially brewed as a draft-only beer in collaboration with Barcade, a popular Brooklyn craft beer bar that now has six locations on the East Coast.

It's now available in 4-pack bottles and draft, and will be sold in 30 states (The initial bottling run took place on Jan. 14 -- National Pastrami Day).

Shmaltz has been making beer since 1996, but until 2012 its beer was made under contract at other breweries, notably Saratoga Brewing Co. in Saratoga Springs.

Its brewery and tap room in Fairchild Square in Clifton Park is big enough for it to make other lines of beer, like the 518 Craft series for Upstate New York and the Alphabet City line for New York City. It also makes beer for other breweries under contract.

Among the other new beers coming from Shmaltz this year are the 2018 version of the barrel-aged Funky Jewbelation, Hop Mamma IPA (brewed with apricot, peach and habanero), and the new No Shtick Variety Pack (No Shtick Double IPA, Hop Manna IPA, Messiah Nut Brown Ale).

In the 518 line for Upstate distribution, Shmaltz recently released a beer called Foggy Goggles. It's an unfiltered "hopped up" pale ale, Cowan said.